Page 18 - Islands Business March 2022

LOIMATA
Loimata aiga

wins best documentary

Loimata – the sweetest tears, won the NZ On Air Best project.
Documentary at the New Zealand Television Awards. The The film also received technical support from Screen
documentary is produced and written by Senior Lecturer in Production postgraduate students and Scott Creighton in the
the School of Communication Studies, Jim Marbrook and film AUT TV Studio.
director, Anna Marbrook. “I think we all have a sense that Ema is still with us. But for
After its critically acclaimed premiere at the New Zealand those who never met her the film stands as a tribute to her
Film Festival in 2020, the film went on to receive numerous spirit and we are grateful that Māori Television commissioned
accolades including the Grand Prix at Tahiti’s FIFO documentary it,” says Jim.
festival in 2021, with The Sunday Star Times also rating it as one
of the ten best films released in 2020.
Loimata focuses on the story of Ema Siope – an inspiring
traditional waka sailor. It follows her during the last year of her
life as she leads her aiga (family) back to Sāmoa to heal from
past traumas.
Jim says Ema was one of those inspirational women who
often never received the accolades they deserve.
“Her work was behind the scenes, unrecognised, but she had
an influence on so many young people and was a key part of the
renaissance in traditional voyaging,” he says.
“Her work and the amazing work of the Siope aiga presents
the possibility of healing through connectedness and unity
grounded in the principles of heritage.”
Production involved several connections to AUT including
graduate and Master of Philosophy student Joshua Iosefo,
Ema’s nephew, who wrote a fictional rendition of her life as part
of his thesis which was supervised by Jim Marbrook. Dr Laumua
Tunufa’i, lecturer in criminology was also a key advisor in the Film Producer and Writer, Jim Marbrook

18 Islands Business, March 2022